Ethnic rebels not to sign peace deal with Myanmar gov't

By Kyaw Ye Lynn

YANGON, Myanmar

Ethnic rebel groups have decided not to sign Myanmar government’s ceasefire agreement, despite the repeated calls from State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi over past weeks.

Leaders from seven ethnic armed organizations -- none of whom signed the government-sponsored Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2015 – held a three-day meeting in a border town of Pangkham in southeastern Shan state.

After the meeting, the groups said they agreed nine points including finding a new way to forge peace instead of signing the NCA, a landmark peace deal between the previous government and 8 out of the 15 rebel groups invited.

“Due to the lacks of all-inclusiveness, we believe signing the NCA can’t bring the peace,” the groups said in a statement late Friday.

“Instead we must forge a new path to peace,” it said.

The groups include United Wa State Army (UWSA), National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Arakan Army (AA).

Since independence from Britain in 1948, Myanmar (then Burma) has seen over a half-century of armed conflict involving ethnic rebels.

Replacing the military junta in 2011, former President Thein Sein’s administration started peace talks with rebels, which led to the NCA. However, several major rebel groups refrained.

Myanmar still witnesses some of the fiercest fighting between certain rebel groups and the military although the Suu Kyi-led civilian government took power in March, 2016.

Aung San Suu Kyi repeatedly called on the rebels to join the peace process by signing the NCA.

Myanmar is to hold second meeting of the Union Peace Conference next month.